Isaiah 15

“My heart will cry out for Moab;
His fugitives shall flee to Zoar,
Like a three-year-old heifer.
For by the Ascent of Luhith
They will go up with weeping;
For in the way of Horonaim
They will raise up a cry of destruction," v.5

Read chapter 15
There is no gloating here, chapter 15 is a genuine lament, not like the mockery of Babylon in chapter 14.  The writer seems to be passionate or sympathy for the homelessness of the moabites. Moab was Israel's neighboring country and perhaps shows that Israel was more sympathetic to her neighbors.  We also see ties in genealogy of Ruth being a moabite marries Boaz who are the in the genealogy of Israel's kings and ultimate Christ.  Yet also how enemies they were to Israel as Balaam was hired by the king of Moab to curse Israel.  Perhaps their destruction was so intense that Israel even morns for them.  Have you ever mourned for you enemies when they were punished?  

Isaiah 14

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!...You will not be joined with them in burial,
Because you have destroyed your land
And slain your people.
The brood of evildoers shall never be named."  v.12,20

Read chapter 14.

Everyone know's one of Satan's names is Lucifer and here is where it appears in the Bible. Lucifer means "Morning-Star," a bright start that ushers in the morning, a Babylonian god worshiping as male at sunrise and female at sunset.  Something of beauty yet fallen from heaven.  In Revelation 22:16 Jesus is refereed to as the bright and morning star.  So why the same with Satan?  "The idea of a “bright morning star” is a star that outshines all the others. Satan, as perhaps the most beautiful creation of God, probably the most powerful of all the angels, was a bright morning star. Jesus, as God incarnate, the Lord of the universe, is THE bright and morning star. Jesus is the most holy and powerful “light” in all the universe. So, while both Jesus and Satan can be described as “bright morning stars,” in no sense is this equating Jesus and Satan. Satan is a created being. His light only exists to the extent that God created it. Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5). Only Jesus’ light is self-existent. Satan may be a bright morning star, but he is only a poor imitation of the one true bright morning star, Jesus Christ, the light of the world."  How else do you see Satan try to be so similar to God?

Also notice that it says YOUR people when talking about Satan's destruction after his big rebellion in the tribulation.  We know the Israelites, those in Jerusalem will face the front-line affects during that time and be martyred.  This seems to show that the antichrist in that time is from Israel as his people.  When verse 20 says he shall never be named it reminds me of the Harry Potter series how they never say the name of the wicked one, Voldemort.   

Isaiah 12

"Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’” v.2

Read chapter 12

This is one of four places in scripture where the translators transliterated, instead of translated, the name Jehovah.  The other three occurrences are Exodus 6:3, Psalm 68:18, Psalm 26:4.  The original in this place is יהוה יה yâh yehovâh. The word יה yâh is an abbreviation of the word Yahweh.  Yah or Jah is Jehovah in a special sense and relation.  Used most often in the psalms and as the jah in Hallelujah: praise Yahweh.  Reputation of the name seems to show emphasis of God's unchangeable character and the great praise that He has BECOME our salvation.  

Strength...song...salvation.  That is the Lord to us and that sums up our all.  Strength of our body, mind, spirit will be our song of how we chose to radiate Him throughout our day and life and none of that is possible without salvation from death to life, not just physical death but to live life to the full.  This same expression is also used by Moses in his song of praise after crossing the Red Sea.  And it can be ours too.  How do you allow, describe, understand Yah Jehovah as your strength, song, salvation?

Isaiah 13

"The burden against Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw...But wild beasts of the desert will lie there,
And their houses will be full of owls;
Ostriches will dwell there,
And wild goats will caper there.
22 The hyenas will howl in their citadels,
And jackals in their pleasant palaces.
Her time is near to come,
And her days will not be prolonged.”  vv.1,21-22

Read chapter 13

This chapter is concerning Babylon of whom was the kingdom that took Israel into captivity.  Yet shortly after the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon and the captives of Israel went under them instead.   The land of Babylon is destroyed, plundered, and left desolate.  Babylon as a people, place, culture has never been back into existence and laid desolate until the 1800s when archeologist discovered it and began attempts at new life which we see has been stymied by wars the past centuries.  It's interesting the animals that are used to describe who will inhabit the homes and land of Babylon.  The word for "wild goats" is satyr which from books and movies today we know as half-man half-goat.  These were considered evil and demigods of other nations, rendered 'devils' as a form of idols.  Also we see the English word "jackals" which translated from the Hebrew could be better translated as 'dragons'.  No doubt the land of Babylon was to be somewhere where no man wanted to set foot.  

Isaiah 11

"“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,

The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
As the waters cover the sea. ” vv.6-9

Read chapter 11.

This chapter describes the kingdom with so many characteristics we long for in our daily life.  A lot of people are aware of the characteristic of the kingdom from the worship song "How Great is Our God" but the lyric doesn't have it quite right with the actual verse here in Isaiah.  The song's verse says "lion and the lamb" but here in Isaiah it says the "wolf and the lamb" and "calf and lion,"  no doubt all animals will be tame with one another as they will probably be all vegetarians again as before the fall.  There also will be no hurt nor destruction.  This definitely is not true today or true after the captivity of Israel closer to the time when this was written.  This is a characteristic everyone longs for as all our hurting whether inside or out.  This also may rise the question of what some/most people think of "hell."  If "hell" is an eternal conscious torment that people in heaven can see (Luke 16), then how can this verse be true? 

My favorite description of the kingdom in these verses is "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."  All will know God and there won't be a doubt in someones mind if He's real or not; no agnostics, no atheists.  What characteristic in the rest of the chapter stands out to you?

Isaiah 10

"Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?
Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it?
As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up,
Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!" v.15

Read chapter 10.

I've shot a gun before but have never hit the bullseye or killed an elk with it.  Yet the same rifle used by my friend has killed an elk every year and gets multiple bullseyes at our shooting range.  It's not the gun but the user that makes it do might work (yeah there are some rifles that are fool proof but I bet I could still miss just like I still can get gutter balls when the guard rails are up in bowling).  This verse 15 shows the ludicrousness of thinking that the nations or kings that were used by God to punish Israel was because of their power and plans as if the tool were to boast itself against the man who uses it.   God was using Assyria as His rod of anger and indignation on the Israelites (v.5), but Assyria then becomes arrogant  and haughty as if it was them and not God for destroying the nation Israel.  "The man’s lust for power might be limitless, but there was the limit of the compassion and long-suffering of God" (Elliott Commentary). When have you been the "tool" that has boasted against the user? Or how do you see this today?

Isaiah 9

"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." v.6

Read chapter 9.

The picture of the kingdom could not be complete without the manifestation of the king.  Another prophesy fulfilled through Jesus Christ.  Jesus was the Child born, the Son of God given as His representative to us some 2,000 years ago.  We are now at a time between "given" and "the government upon  His shoulders."  We wait expectantly for His Kingdom, or government, to rule over the whole earth.  The names listed here of what He'll be called is more than just a title but His characteristics and His glory.  These names can be 7 separate titles (or also possibly four combined)

• Wonderful: He is adored for His uniqueness in His person as God and Man.
• Counselor:  Full of wisdom and always true and right.  He knows the whole counsel of God.
• Mighty God: Hebrew EL, absolute 
• Everlasting: He has no beginning and no end.
• Father:  The Son is the Father.  Hard to grasp our minds on them being one in the same.
• Prince of Peace:  The Prince that brings true union between God and man and among men.

Which name stands out to you today?